Press



Oct. 25j, 1932.

E. T. PETERSON 1,884,196

PRESS WMM. l

OGL 25, 1932- E. T; PETERSON 1,884,196

PRESS Filed May 29, 1930 s sheets-sheet 2 Oct. 25, 1932. T. PETERSN PRESS Filed May 29, 1930 3 Sheeis-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 25,1932

UNITEDk STATES vPAfTlizlSITv OFFICE EDWARD T. PETERSON, F READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BIRDSBORO STEEL FOUNDRY AND MACHINE COMPANY, BIRDSBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- 'rIoN or PENNSYLVANIA PRESS Application led May 29,

My invention relates to presses in the operation of which forcesY for exerting great pressures are employed; for example, in the pressing and squeezing of ingots of iron where very high pressures arerequired. It is obvious that the co-action of a single gear with a single rack for the exertion of great pressure would require a gear and rack of large dimensions which would involve not only relatively great expense of construction but also would involve difficulty in the handling of the parts of the press. A Y

It is an object of my invention to provide a press embodying a novel construction-including means of such character that great forcesV may be applied to the compressing ram of the press without the necessity of employing parts or elements of a size such that they may not be handled readily and also of a size such that the cost of the manufacture and installation of a press would be greatly enhanced.

It also is an object of my invention to provide means of novel construction including a plurality of ram driving units in combination with means whereby the respective driving units for actuating the ram are yieldingly related to the ram, each driving element yielding independently of every other driving element.

.It is a further object of my invention to provide a construction in which each driving vunit for actuating theram of the press comprises a driving and a driven gear, the latter being supported by a yielding frame or support and engaging a rack having connection with the ram of the press. y

A further object of the invention is to pro- 'vide a plurality of driving units in combination with means whereby the pressures or forces exerted by the `said units may be automatically equalized.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in thedetailed description thereof which follows or else will be' apparent from such description. y

In order that the invention may be readily understood and its practical advantages fully appreciated reference should b e had to the accompanying drawings wherein I have illus- 1930. Serial No. 456,901.

trated an embodiment of they invention in the form which at present is preferred by me.'

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view in longitudinal sectional elevation of a portion of an ingot press containing themeans embodying my invention;

F ig, 2 is a transverse sectional view taken in part in the two planes indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig.`14;and y p Fig.r3'is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 ofv Fig. 1.

As has been indicated already, the invention relates to improvementsv in what are known as ingot presses and inJ order that the invention may be more readilynnderstood and its purpose and function more fully appreciated I have shown in addition `to the mechanism or means embodyingthe invention other portions of such a press in order that theoperation of the means of the invention may be described satisfactorily'.

In the drawings I have shown a suitable framework designated as a whole by the letter A within and upon which other parts of the operating mechanism of the press including the means of my invention are supported.

Inthe drawings I have shown a ram comprising a head l mounted upon the front end of a supporting frame portion 2 which is connected at its rear end to thefront ends of two racks bars 3.k Each of these rack bars is provided with flanges at its front end through which fastening bolts 4 extend for vfastening the same -to the rear end of the frame'2. Each of the rack bars is provided withtwo groups of teeth 5 and 6 upon its upper side and two groups of teeth 7 and 8 upon its lower side. The two groups of teeth upon the upper and lower sides of the rack bars are separated or spaced from each other yas indicated at 9. For the purpose of reciprocating the rack bars to cause movement drawings, but if desired a single rack bar may be employed. The construction of all of these units is the same. 'The actuating units for causing reciprocation of the rack bars 3 and 4 to operate the compressing means are located in adjoining relation to the top and bottom sides of the said bars. Each of the units which is provided with means for engaging the teeth upon the top sides of the raclr bars 3 is provided with upper gears 10 which are supported upon shafts 11 which extend across the frame A and are supported in bearings 12. The bearings for only one of the shafts 11 are shown but the other of said shafts 11 is supported in similar bearings. The actuating units having means in engagement with the groups of teeth 7 and 3 upon the bottom sides of the racks 3 are provided with gears 13, similar to the gears l, which are mounted upon shafts 14 which also extend crosswise of the frame A and are supported in bearings 15. The gears l() and 13 and the shafts 11 and 14 are identical in every respect except that they occupy different relative positions with respect to the rack bars 3. The several shafts 11 and 14 are driven by any suitable power means, not shown. The driving shafts which are connected to and are driven by the power means are connected respectively to the ends of the shafts 11 and 14 by coupling means 21.

The gears 10 upon the shafts 11 are rotated in clockwise direction when it is desired to cause inward movement of the racl; bars 3 to eect a compressive movement of the compressing head 1` of the ram. When it is desired to retract or withdraw the said head the said gears 10 and the shafts upon which they aremounted are rotated in anticlockwise direction.

rlhe gears 10 are in engagement respectively with gears 22 which respectively engage the groups of teeth 5 and G upon the top sides of the rack bars 3. These gears 22 are mounted upon short shafts 23 the opposite ends of which are j ournaled in the opposite sides of a casing or frame made up of two parts 24 and 25, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The parts 24 and 25 of these casings are provided with rearwardly eX- tending arms 26 which are fastened together in any suitable manner as by bolts 28. The casings made up of the parts 211 and are pivotally mounted upon the shafts 11 and are adapted to swing thereon about a horizontal axis co-incidental with the axes of the said shaft 11. The lower ends of Vthe said casings are open in orderthat lthe gears 22 may project therefrom and engage with the series of rack teeth 5 and 6. The driving of the shaftsll causes rotation of the gears 10 to cause rotation of the gears 22.

It will be apparent that upon the application of force through the gears 10 and to drive the rack bars 3 to eect an inward or said rack bars a posed upon the arms ,-tnod together, act a rin ten g to cause upward move- .i the rear et ds thereof. For the purpose resisting upward swinging movement of the said arms l have provided blocks 9 which are located above and extend croAN of the rear end of the said arms 26. blocks are slidably supported upon bolts which t epend om a stationary support i part ofthe frame structure of the machine. The bloclrs 30 are each provided with pockets 3 'l within which c forward movement of the force of reaction is 26, which, boing Y.

s ings 3d are located. Th e lower ends of these springs are seated upon the bottoms of the pockets 33 11"lille the upper cnt s thereof are se =`ed ag i.. the under de el the su rt from i ci the bloclr 30 is suspended by means o the bolts 31. The springs are under compression and t The blocks 30 are yieldingly connected to tl e rear ends of the azns by means of bolts 35 wnich entend through holes provided ai the middle jrarts of the ltloc s 30 and through holes which include the dividing line between the arms 26. T he holes through which the bolts extend terminate .cir lower e ds in enlarged not 1i l pockets Ll0 within which springs l1 are lom4 cated. the said @rings being compressed and having a tendency to expand. The upper ends of the said springs are seated against he bottoms of t" ends thereof r teu against washers which arev retai ef ujon the lower ones of the said bolts. i ie tendency of the said springs to expand assists in holding the blocks 30M and the arms 26 in contact with each other. The bloclis 30 are supported against the upper ends of screw-threaded pins yor bolts which upper ends engage wearing plates of hard metal provided in upon the under sides of the said blocks. rEhe supporting pins or bolts 4 5 are adjustable relatively to the arms 26 and after having been adjusted to the positions desired are held in such positions by means of the plates which are provided with squared openings their opi i ends through which openings the s nared lower -nds of the bolts or pins extend. The plates 50 are retained hiposition upon the bolts or pins by means of Cotter pins. lt will be apparent that the 3G are yieldingly hell in relfition to the arms i the shafts 14, gears'22 which are mounted upon short `shafts 23 the opposite ends of which arek journaled in the opposite sides of a casing or frame comprising two parts 24 and 25. These parts 24 and 25 are provided with rearwardly Vextending arms 26 which are connected together by any'suitable means .as by bolts 28. Blocks 30 are located underneath the rear ends of the pairs of armsk 26. These blocks are mounted upon vertical bolts or posts 31 which are mounted at their lower ends in an abutment 32 which is a part of the frame of the structure. The blocks are retained upon these bolts or posts by nuts upon the upper ends of the said bolts or posts as shown. Each of the ysaid blocks is provided in its bottom sides with holes or pockets 33 within which are located coiled `'springs 34 the upper ends of which are seated against the bottoms of the said holes or pockets 33 while the lower ends thereof are seated upon and are supported by the abutment 32". These springs are normally under compression and hold the blocks 30 in their uppermost` position against the undersides of the nuts upon the tops of the bolts or posts 31. Bolts 35 extend through holes midway of the opposite ends of the blocks 30 and also through holes provided in the arms 26. The last named holes open into enlarged openings or pockets 40 within which are located springs 41 the upper ends of which are seated against washers 42 while the lower ends thereof are seated against the bottoms ofthe enlarged openingsr 40.v The washers 42 arevheld in place by nuts upon the upper endsof the said bolts 35. The springs 41 are under compression and assist in holding the rear ends of the arms 26 and the blocks 30 in contactual relation with respect to eachL other. The arms 26' are provided at their rear ends with screwthreaded bolts or pins 45 the lower ends of which contact with wear plates or blocks 46 provided in shallow depressions constituting seats in the upper sides of the block 30. The screw-threaded bolts or pins 45 are adjustable and after having been adjusted to the positions desired are held in such positions by plates 50 the opposite ends of which are provided with polygonal openings with which the polygonal shaped upper ends of the adjustable bolts or pins 45 are in engagement.

Upon reference to Fig. l of the drawings it will be apparent that when the rackv bars 3 Vare to be driven toward the right in said figure `to effect compression or squeezing of an ingotl of 'iron yor other metal or other substance the gears 13 and the shafts 14 are rotated in anti-clockwise direction to cause rotation of the gears 22 in clockwise direction. These gears 22are in engagement with the groups of rackteeth 7 and 8.' p

Any suitable means may be employed for veffecting'rotation of the gears 10 and 13 first inone direction and then in another `to effect reciprocating movements of the rack bars 3 to in turn actuate the head 1 by which the compression or squeezing ofthe ingot of iron or other substance is effected. Although not shown a reversible motor or motors may be employed for that purpose. Swinging movement of the arms 26 toward the rack bars 3 is limited by the stationary stops 52 while similar stops 52 limit the swingingmovement of the arms 26 toward the said rack bars.

For the purpose of supporting and guiding the rack bars 3 I have provided upon opposite sides of the saidbars elongated projections 53 which extend lengthwise thereof and which are held and guided between upper and lower guides 55 and 56. These guides are arlangedrin pairs, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, one guide of one pair being located upon the upper side of a projectiony 53 and i,

the other guide of the same pair being located upon the lower side thereof.

In the operation of the vapparatus the spongy material to be compressed or squeezed may be placed upon a table whereupon a pusher head 61 is'actuated and moved toward the right, having reference to F ig. 1 ofthe drawings, over the said table 60 to move the said material from the said table. The

' pusher head 61 is mounted upon the front ends of rack bars 62'which are actuated by means of gears 63 mounted upon the shaft 64 rotation of which is effected by any suitable means, as by gearing, not shown, located within a casing or housing 65. The material is delivered from the table 60 onto a platform or support 66 which is adapted to be moved up and down in the chamber of the press withinwhich the compressing and squeezing of the spongy material of iron or other substances talres place. vVertical up and down movements ofthe support 66 are eected by means of levers 67- (only one of which is shown) which are supported above and upon a roclr shaft 68. Links 69 (only one of which is shown) have connection at their lower ends with the front-swinging ends of the levers 67 and at their upper ends to the support 66. The swinging movements of the levers 67 acting through the links 69 cause vertical movements of the support l66 so as to move the latter-into position in the plane of the table 60 to receive the material which may be discharged from the said table. The support 66 should arrive in its uppermost position before movement of the pusher bar 61 4pushes material from the table 60 in Order that a pusher bar 70 may remove from the support 66 any ingot which may be thereon and which may have been compressed or squeezed. The bar 7 0 removes any ingot which may be upon the support 66 onto a table 71 which preferably should occupy` the .l same plane. as that in'which the said table 60 y is located.

VThe pusher bars 61 and 70, the mechanism for operating the same and the means including the arms 67, roclr shaft 68 and links 69 ier raising and lowering the support 66 are of known construction and constitute parts of machines for pressing ingots of iron, steel or any other subst-ance. I-Ience it is deemed to be unnecessary to illustrate the construction as it pertafns to these parts in greater detail or to describe the same more at length.

It may be noted that in addition to the compressing head l other compressing means may be employed in presses of this character for effecting a compressing and squeezing action in directions substantially at right angles to that in which the compression of the head lis effected.

The head l presses any ingot which may be present upon the support against the opposing side 72 of the compression chamber.

It will be seen that by my invention I have provided a plurality of mechanical units vwhich are adapted to operate and apply force simultaneously to the rack bars for moving the same forward to actuate the plunger of the press to eiiect a squeezing or compressing action upon an ingot or block of iron, steel or other substance. By thus providing a plurality of units I am enabled to apply a resultant force of the required magnitude to the plunger for compressing metal ingots Without the necessity of employing driving means for the plungers of relatively large dimensions. The employment of a plurality ot units or means for engaging and driving the respective raclr bars for actuating the ram of the press necesstates the employment or Vuse of means to prevent an excessive stress upon the 'force applying means of any one of the units. To that end the element or part of each unit which is in engagement wlth a rack bar and by and'through which force is transmitted to the said bar is movably supported, the said movement being a swinging one in the construction illustrated. Any such movement during the application of force to eil'ect a compressing action of the plunger is ,eiiected in o 3 osition to the resistance of the springs 34 or 3e as the case may be. But for the presence of some such protective and safety means it might happen that under certain conditi ons an unusual and excessive force generated by the power means for operating the press might be applied through -a single unit, due to the presence of an unusual and excessive resistance encountered. Such an occurrence might and probably would result in a breaking of some part of the said unit or other part of the press. For example, assume that there should be an irregularity in the formation of the teeth of the gears of a unit or of the teeth of a group of teeth upon a raclr bar, such irregularity might, except for the presence of the means for providing a yielding or" the gear or' that unit in engagement with the teeth of the rack bar, impose an extraordinary and excessive force upon such unit. However, under the conditions stated the springs 34 or 34 as the case might be, which are associated with such unit, will yield so that such unit will not exert more than its proper proportion of the whole torce applied to the plunger to effect a compression movement thereof. In other words, the embodiment of the yielding means in association with the respective units for actuating the plunger of the press operates to cause an equalzation of the forces exerted by the said units, in case an extraordinary and excessive resistance is encountered, so that no unit is required to perform more work or to exert any greater force in the operation of the press than any other unit. By the means of my invention an equalization of the forces applied by the several units is maintained at all times.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a press of the character described the combination with a ram of a plurality of units arranged lengthwise of said ram for actuating the same, each of said units including in dependently functioning yielding means.

2. In a press of the character described the combination of a ram, a plurality of units for causing reciprocatory movements of said ram, each unit including a gear which is mounted to rotate and move bodily, and yielding means for permitting bodily movement of the said gear in one direction.

3. In a press of the character described, the combination of a ram having a rack bar connected therewith, a plurality of means arranged lengthwise of and engaging the said rack bar for actuating the same in a direction to cause a compressive movement of the said ram, and separate means associated with each of said plurality of means for permitting yielding movement of the said rack bar engaging means.

4. In a press of the character described the combination of a ram having a raclr bar, a plurality of units for actuating the said ram, said units being located at different points lengthwise of the said rack bar, each unit including a gear in engagement with the said rack bar, pivoted mea-ns for supporting the said gear, and yielding means tending to prevent movement of the said support in one direction. Y

5. In a press of the character described the combination of a. ram havinga rack bar,

vno

means for actuating the said rack bar, said y means including a gear in engagement with the said bar, pivotal means for supporting the said gear, an arm extending horizontally from the said pivoted supporting means,

means for preventing movement ofH the said arm in one direction, and yielding means for permitting while resisting movement of the opposite direction.

6. In a press of the character described the combination of a ram provided with a rack bar, a. plurality of units located at different points lengthwise of the said rack bar, each unit having means in engagement with the said rack bar for actuating` the latter to effect compressive movement of the said ram, pivoted supports for the said means, arms extending horizontally from the said supports, and yielding` means resisting but permitting movement of the said arms in one direction.

7. In a press of the character described the combination of a rain having a stem, a plurality of separate and independent means in engagement with opposite sides of the said stem for actuating the said ram to compress an object within the press` said means being arranged lengthwise of said stem, and means for equalizing the forces exerted by the said independent ram actuating means.

8. In a press of the character described the combination of a ram having a stem having teeth upon opposite sides thereof, a plurality of units located upon opposite sides of the said stem at different peints lengthwise of the latter for actuating the said rain, each of said units having a gear in engagement with teeth upon the adjoining portion of the said stem, a pivotal support embodied in each of said units for supporting the gear of ksaid unit, means for driving each of said gears to actuate the said ram, and means associated with each unit for permitting independent yielding movement of the gear thereof with respect to the gears of other units.

9. In a press of the character described t-he combination of a ram having a plurality of stems projecting rearwardly therefrom, each of said stems having teeth upon opposite sides thereof, aI plurality of mechanical units located at different points lengthwisey ofthe said stems for actuating the said ram, each of said units comprising a gear in engagement with teeth upon the said stems, pivoted means for supporting said gears, each pivotedineans having an arm projecting rearwardly therefrom, means for limiting movementof said arm in one direction, and yielding means for resisting while permitting movement of the said arm in the opposite direction.

10. In a press of the character described the combination of a ram having a rack bar extending rearwardly therefrom, said rack` bar having teeth upon the top and bottom sides thereof, means for supporting and guiding the said rack bar, a plurality of units located above and below the said rack bar in positions lengthwise of the latter for actuating the said ram, a plurality of shafts extending transversely of the said press, said shafts being rotatable, a gear mounted on each shaft, said gear constituting a part of each actuating unit, a gear in each unit interposed being laterally therefrom in directions substanti'ally'. parallel with the said rack bar, and yielding resistance means for permitting the said arms to swing in directions" away from y the said rack bar to relieve any extraordinary resistance which may be encountered by the second named gear of any one of the said units. v i l Y y 11. In a press of the character described the combination of a ram, aplurality of separate y and independent means arranged lengthwise of saidram for actuating the same to compress an object within the press, and means forequalizing the forces exerted by the said independent ram actuating means by yielding of one actuating means without yielding of the other.

l2. In a press of the character described t-he combination of a rain, a plurality of units for causing reciprocatory movements of said ram, each unit` including a gear which isswingingly mounted to oscillate bodily, and yielding means for permitting swinging `movement of the said gear.

13. In a press of thecharacter described thecombination of a rain, a bar therefor having a rack surface and a pair of driving mechanisms for the bar placed at different positions along the length of the bar'and each comprising a gear engaging the bar, rotatable about its Own axis and revoliible about an axis spaced from .its axis to swing in a direction generallyl tangential to the rack, separate driving means fer the two gears and resilient ietarding inea-ns for resisting the swinging movement whereby independently the two gears are free to swing onewithout the other or both together to resiliently take up lost motion in the driving of the ram.

14. In a press of the character described, a ram, a rack bar for driving the ram and having racl: surfaces on opposite sides of the bar, gears on opposite sides of the rack bar engaging the rack surfaces, driving means for said gears turning them about their axes to drive the ram, rocking supports for said gears rocking about the axes outside of their centers and swinging them across the rack surfaces, and resilient means for supporting the gears to resist the rocking movement, adapted to provide indepeiident rocking of said gears whereby the gears are resilieiitly adapted to take up lost motion and work together.

15. In a press of the character described, 'a ram having a rack bar extending rearwardly therefrom having teeth on opposite sides, means for supporting and guiding the rack bar, gears for engaging opposite sides of the rack bar and centered to swing about supy ioo ports outside of their own axes, driving gears for the engaging gears, frames supporting 'and swinging the gears, and spring supports for the frames to restrain'them from the swinging movement retracting the ram.

16. In a press of the character described, a ram having a rack bar extending rear- Wardly therefrom having teeth on opposite sides, means for supporting and guiding the rack bar, gears engaging the rack bar at diii'erent points and adapted to swing across the teeth on the rack bar about the axes outside of the gear V4axis and spring means acting upon a leverage larger than the difference between the axes and retarding retracting movement of the ram.

17. In a press of the character described, a ramrhaving `a rack bar extending rear- Wardly therefrom having teeth on opposite sides, means for supporting and guiding the rack bar, gear driving means for the rack bar engaging opposite sides of the bar, anda spring for each driving means retarding in the direction of the length of the bar against lengthwise retractive bodily movement of the gears of the gear driving means.

18. In a press of the character described, a ram having a rack bar extending rea-r- Wardly therefrom having teeth on opposite sides, means for supporting and guiding the rack bar, and 'a plurality of separate gear driving means for the bar spring retarded against bodily movement across the teeth i of the bar and adapted to move bodily at the same time in the same direction 'against the spring retardation.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my "ff name this 27th day of May, A. D., 1930.

EDWARD rr. PETERSON. 

